THE CAUCUS; Pastor Defends Himself

By JULIE BOSMAN

Published: April 25, 2008

The Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. has been in the news for several weeks, his inflammatory sermons broadcast again and again and his words now used in a Republican television advertisement in North Carolina. But through it all, he has not been heard from -- until now.

Mr. Wright, Senator Barack Obama's former pastor, was interviewed by Bill Moyers on Wednesday for his PBS program, ''Bill Moyers Journal,'' to be broadcast Friday at 9 p.m.

According to excerpts released Thursday, Mr. Wright said his words had been twisted ''for some very devious reasons,'' and he characterized the reaction as ''unfair,'' ''unjust'' and ''untrue.''

But he did not apologize or back away from his remarks, which suggested that Americans bore some responsibility for the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 as well as other problems around the world. He said the intent was to portray him as ''some sort of fanatic'' who could be dismissed.

''It's to paint me as something: 'Something's wrong with me. There's nothing wrong with this country ... for its policies. We're perfect. Our hands are free. Our hands have no blood on them,' '' he said, adding, ''The message that is being communicated by the sound bites is exactly what those pushing those sound bites want to communicate.''

And what is that? ''I think they wanted to communicate that I am unpatriotic, that I am un-American, that I am filled with hate speech, that I have a cult at Trinity United Church of Christ,'' Mr. Wright said. ''And, by the way, guess who goes to his church, hint, hint, hint?''

Mr. Wright, who was Mr. Obama's spiritual mentor and retired in February as pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, said he had never heard Mr. Obama repeat any of his controversial statements.

''Absolutely not,'' Mr. Wright said.

He said he understood when Mr. Obama denounced his remarks.

''I do what I do. He does what politicians do,'' Mr. Wright said. ''So that what happened in Philadelphia where he had to respond to the sound bites, he responded as a politician.''